The Covered Bridges Half Marathon, State #15, VT

Having lived in New England all my life, I've been to Vermont many times, but never to the area where this half marathon took place. The CBHM took place in the Woodstock/Pomfret/Quechee area which was just quintessentially quaint Vermont. I drove up on Saturday afternoon to the Woodstock library, where race officials were handing out race route maps. The Woodstock Town center was adorably cute with beautiful homes on a small town green within walking distance to shops and eateries. The library was also right opposite the green and next to the Woodstock Inn & Resort which looked like a gorgeous place to stay.

I walked over to the library and chatted with one of the race directors about the logistics of the race and morning parking, shuttles, etc. The race is a point to point race beginning in South Pomfret at the Suicide Six ski area and ending in Quechee at the polo grounds there. The morning of the race, we would need to park at the Quechee Gorge shopping area and catch buses to the start. Ok, easy enough.

I didn't stay long in Woodstock, as I needed to get to the hotel to meet my cousin, Andrew. The hotel was about 30 minutes from Woodstock, so it was back in the car and back on the road for me. Luckily, I arrived at the hotel, pulled in to a parking space and looked next to me to find Andrew sitting in his car. He had just arrived, too! Perfect timing. We checked in and relaxed for a bit before dinner. We signed up for the pre-race pasta dinner but had about an hour before we had to be there. Perfect for catching up since we last saw one another in Arizona.

The pasta dinner was held at the Suicide Six ski lodge, and it was amazing! It was so well organized with all the food donated by local restaurants and farmers market. The food was terrific. There were a variety of pastas to choose from, a super fresh and wonderful salad bar, bread, drinks and a nice big room for everyone. Andrew and I sat with two women, one who was running and one who was supposed to run but suffered a stress fracture and now could not. They were very nice, and as we got to talking, I found out that one of the women was from Easton, MA where I went to college. Small world! Anyway, we had a terrific meal and good company, and as we finished, we wandered outside to the back porch of the ski lodge where a bluegrass band was playing and coffee and cookies were available for the crowd. It was a warm, sunny, exquisite spring evening. Runners and their families were all hanging out on the grass, sipping water and other beverages, watching their kids run around, listening to music. It was both festive and bucolic.

We decided to head out and take a quick drive back to Woodstock so Andrew could see how cute and quaint it was. We were hoping to find a souvenir shop there where I could get some magnets for my kids. They like to collect them from places we travel either together or when my husband and I travel for business and races. Unfortunately, we got there around 7 pm and all the shops were closed except for restaurants and one little shop called the Lucky Elephant. We went in to the shop and bought a couple of trinkets. It was filled with artisan type gifts that are Thai inspired. I ended up getting the girls some little change purses with elephants on them. After the quick shop stop, we drove back to the hotel to bunk down for the night and get ready for the morning.

5:15 am on Sunday arrive very quickly, and we gathered our race necessities and were off. The morning was very foggy, but it was pretty warm, in the 50's. We parked at the Quechee Gorge area and got on the school bus to head back to Suicide Six. We sat near an older man who was in his 70's. He was an interesting fellow who told me about his running history which included two different 100 mile races. Wow! Andrew and I ended up chatting with him after we got off the bus at Suicide Six, too, where he gave us some helpful tips for training and racing.

Before we knew it, it was time to get in to the line up, and we were off. The first couple of miles took us along the road leading out of the Suicide Six ski area and offered lovely country views of Vermont forests and homes along the way. The crowds along the way for the entire race were wonderful. People cheered and waved and smiled at us the entire way. The largest crowds were around the Woodstock center area where we actually ran across a covered bridge. It was exciting to turn the corner and see the covered bridge ahead and realize we were going to run across it. What a thrill! We ran through the bridge and looped back out of Woodstock and past the Billings Farm & Museum which we also passed on the way in to Woodstock. The scenery all around us was just lovely.

At this point in the race, the roads became more rural and eventually turned to a packed clay/gravel road that ran along a river. It was so beautiful in the early morning sun to run this route. There were gorgeous barns along the way, a field with horses hanging out, local folks playing music, and of course,  beautiful covered bridges along the way. We actually only ran across one covered bridge throughout the duration of the race, but we passed by a few others along the way making it very picturesque. The most difficult part of the race was the steep hill between mile 8 and 9. It was not a super long hill, but it was very steep and a bit slow. Once at the top it was over and a nice downhill reprieve awaited.

I was feeling pretty good at this point in the race, and I knew my pace was pretty speedy for me. The miles were ticking off rather quickly it seemed. I try not to look at my watch too many times, as I think it slows me down when I start to think about the time too much. But at the 10 mile mark my time was 1:10 which I knew was on target with my PR of 1:45. If I could keep a strong pace, I could possibly beat it. But I tried not to think too much about it.

The last few miles were peppered with gently rolling hills, and I'm pretty sure they slowed me down a little. I swear the organizers of half marathons are giddy with putting hills in late in the race. Anyway, I held in there taking advantage of the downhill slopes as much as possible to get my speed up. The last mile felt like an eternity, and I passed the finish line with a time of 1:46 on the clock. My net time would be very close to my PR, but I was pretty sure I missed it.

Andrew met me right away as I stopped at the water station to get a drink. He looked amazingly well-rested, and I knew he must have finished way before me. He finished at 1:40, a new PR for him! So great! I collected my finisher's medal and t-shirt, both of which featured the cute covered bridge logo. We walked along and made our way to the food area for some refreshments. The atmosphere in the finish area was lively and happy. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and people were milling about everywhere with friends and family. The food tent had some of the best finish line food to date, including fresh slices of watermelon and the most ingenious post-race food: peanut butter filled pretzels! Carb, protein & salt all rolled in to one perfect little bite. Mmmmmmm.

Finish line area and crowd

Andrew and I recapped our races and both agreed that this was a first-rate race. It was so well organized, and all the offerings to runners were fabulous. Everything from the pre-race pasta dinner to the peanut butter pretzels at the finish was perfect. We were both so glad we got the opportunity to run this one.

We walked back to the parking area which was about a half mile from the finishing area and hit a quick souvenir shop to grab some goodies for the family. Vermont magnets for the girls and some fresh Vermont cheese for the hubs. After that, it was back to the hotel for quick showers before Andrew and I parted ways for home. The drive home was uneventful, and back at home my family was enjoying the gorgeous day outside playing, gardening and relaxing. I was happy to be back with them. A nice sushi dinner rounded out a most perfect day. When the net times were finally available, I finished with a 1:45:58, a mere :38 over my PR. If only I could have pushed it 3 seconds faster per mile!!! So close, but I'll take it. The Covered Bridges Half Marathon is one that should not be missed.

                                                          

Weight watcher true confessions

Less than a week to go before my next race. This will be state #15 and the last of the New England states for me: Vermont. I'm running with my cousin, Andrew, again this time, and we're both so excited for this one. The race we're running is the Covered Bridges Half Marathon which starts in Woodstock, VT and finishes in Quechee, VT. We tried to register for this race last year, but it sold out in 15 minutes on line, and we did not realize it was such an in demand race. This year we both signed up the minute the race registration opened on line, and we both got in. Thank goodness!
I've prepared well for this one. All my runs are done, and I've even started to add in hill repeats to my regular routes. It seems like so many of the articles I've read over the last year in Runner's World magazine have touted the importance of hills and speed work in becoming a faster, stronger runner. So, I figured it was time to start adding some of that stuff in. So, training-wise, I'm good.
As many of my friends and family know, I'm a Weight Watchers member in addition to being a runner. I have to say, my diet has not been the greatest lately. I don't know why really. I know the plan. I know what I should do. Heck, I've been a Weight Watchers member this time around for over 4 years and the first time around for a few more years. I am very good at sticking to the plan all week, but lately when the weekend hits, something in my brain flips and I just go bonkers with food. Maybe it is the "holiday" mode we've had lately...Mother's Day, Memorial Day. I know it is no excuse, but on both of those occasions I pretty much ate everything that was within a 300 foot radius. Ugh. It is so silly because I know I'm not going to feel good eating all that junk, but for some reason I do it anyway. Live & learn, I suppose. The good news is that I am back on track this week, and I'm feeling good for the race next weekend. I know I'll have a good food weekend coming up because I'm running. Maybe I just need to race every weekend to keep me on the Weight Watchers straight & narrow...
It is funny because a woman who is in a Facebook group that I am in posted recently that she was struggling with her place in Weight Watchers as she sees and hears from so many "perfect" WW members in her meetings. Her post has stayed with me for more than a week. None of us are perfect WW members, and the plan even builds in "imperfections" to a degree; we have to be accountable to ourselves and at the end of the day, to the scale. We all need the support, ideas, recipes, guidelines, tricks & tips that the program and meetings offer, and that is why we all still go there. It is a place to feel success and to share struggles. It is a place to get your head back where it needs to be. That is going to be my focus in the coming weeks. 
I know that I need to stay focused after the VT race is over though, too, as I will be running two races within one week this coming July. About a month and a half after Vermont, those races come in to play, so no slacking for me the early part of the summer! I'm actually glad for that, as I hope to stay more focused on a healthy diet. The summer should be a good time for that. My husband has planted a huge and wonderful garden for us, and we are both so excited to have our own fresh produce this summer. Included in the garden are peas, green beans, various lettuces, beets, scallions, radishes, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, carrots, parsnips, corn, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkins, and I still have yet to start my herbs. It will be a great bounty if everything comes up. We can't wait! 
I will write again after the Vermont race is over. It should be a beautiful run. 

The humble beginning of what will hopefully be a bountiful summer garden.

***This just in...As an addendum to this post, I weighed in at my regular WW meeting the day after I posted this, and to my great astonishment I was down 1.4 lbs. I was flabbergasted and overjoyed, as the resulting weight is my ideal racing weight. Somehow, I got lucky this time. No more crazy food days before the next race!

Boston on my mind

Ever since last week, the Boston Marathon has been on my mind. I just haven't had any quiet time to record my thoughts. I remember last year when the bombings happened at the finish line, my first thought was (re. terrorism), "Really, a marathon?" Then I felt angry because the Boston Marathon is the most austere and premiere marathon in the country. My next thought was, "Is nothing sacred anymore? Terrorists have to hit one of the most uplifting, positive, healthy and inspirational events in the United States?" Of course they did.

My Boston Marathon medal from 1998

I ran the Boston Marathon 16 years ago, and I will never forget that experience. It is an event that lives forever inside you once you complete it. I was able to run in the race as a member of a charity team (I was nowhere near any sort of qualifying time). I raised money for Boston Children's Hospital and was able to secure a number. Boston was the first (and to date, only) full marathon I'd ever attempted, and although I put in many, many training hours, I was a pretty slow runner. My finish time was just shy of 5 hours, but I still made it in time to get a finisher's medal, a medal I cherish to this day.
The crowds along the Boston route are amazing! The best by far that I've ever encountered. There is something a little unnerving taking the bus with all the other runners out of the city to Hopkinton, 26 miles away. I can remember thinking that I was pretty much out in the middle of nowhere with only my legs to get me back home. When we drive to Boston now for pleasure, I always reflect on the fact that where the Mass Pike and I-95 meet, you can glimpse a view of the Boston skyline. It is just about the distance of the marathon from there, and I ran that. DAMN! It still blows my mind. 
It is funny how I can remember certain details of that race 16 years ago like they were yesterday. I liken it to the fact that my husband can recall nearly every detail of every round of golf he's ever played. I guess when you find your sport, you have a mind for those kinds of details. I remember the huge crowd at the starting line and the fact that it took a good 15 minutes or longer to even get up to the actual official starting line after the race gun went off. I remember the song "The Long Run" by the Eagles blaring at the starting line from the home of someone who lives right there. I remember being in the back of the pack chatting with people as we ran along, offering encouragements, laughing over the fact that by the time we were at about mile 8 or 9 the front runners were already done. I remember being passed by a guy/girl dressed in a foam rhinoceros costume. I remember seeing blind runners tethered to sighted guide runners. I remember the weather was pretty perfect for running, not too hot, not too cold, not too much sun or wind, but I also remember the wind pushing down in to my face as I ran up a long, slight hill in the Needham area somewhere around mile 18 and feeling very cold, tired and wiped out. Then I remember seeing a work colleague at the next water station, and hearing her words of encouragement, I perked up enough to get through to Heartbreak Hill. I have to admit, I don't remember much about Heartbreak Hill, other than I walked a few steps of it near the top. After that, it was all downhill to the finish line. :) I remember the Wellesley College "Wall of Sound" and thinking how cool it was that they were all screaming for me. I remember another work friend jumping in somewhere around mile 23 to run with me for a few blocks, helping me to take my mind off of the pain. And I remember making that turn on to Boylston Street, seeing the finish line straight ahead, scanning the crowd and finding my husband-to-be, mom, best friend and mother-in-law-to-be like a shining star of light. It was a most unimaginable experience to trek those 26.2 miles, and it is both humbling and triumphant at the same time. Your body is pushed to the limit, but your mind can get you there, along with some well-placed supporters along the way. 
So to hear that terrorists attacked the marathon last year was just so disheartening. That experience of accomplishment and triumph was taken away from so many runners, only to be replaced by fear, injury, disappointment, anger, and sadness. All the things the most glorious marathon shouldn't make you feel. I was overjoyed to see Boston come back so strongly this year. I'm so glad the marathon took place without incident. Although, as I said to my mom, "God help anyone who tries to mess with the city of Boston and their marathon this year. The residents of the city will seriously turn out in mob rule to take care of anyone who tries anything." 
The stories coming out of this year's marathon were full of inspiration. It was amazing to see all the stories of those returning to finish the race they didn't have the chance to run last year. Seeing the runners who lost limbs in last year's bombings participating was just incredible. If faced with the same situation, I don't know that I would have been as brave or motivated. I'm thrilled that an American man won for the men, and although I was hoping for Shalane Flanagan to take this one for the hometown ladies, she ran an amazing race. I even had to laugh when I saw Dean Karnazes's post on facebook after the race. He ran the marathon from start to finish in 3:42 and then turned around and ran from the finish line back to the start in 3:25. What a rock star. 

Meeting Dean Karnazes last November

Everyone has their own personal race story. Everyone has their reasons for running. I'm just glad that this year everyone was able to finish and revel in the moment. It is something that can never be taken away.

The Chi-Town Run Down, State #14, IL

I left home Saturday morning and arrived in Chicago around noon. Despite the enormity of O’Hare, I found the kiosk for the Go Express shuttle bus that I booked to get me from there to my hotel in the city. The ride to the hotel was nice. I met a woman from Melbourne, Australia who was traveling all around the states, and we chatted for the entire ride. She was a most interesting person, as she lives with a rare skin condition and speaks as an appearance advocate for people who look different from others and who are treated as such. We talked about her travels and experiences in the U.S. and online. In addition to being a speaker, she is also a writer and shares her work on a blog. She was such a lovely person, and it saddened me to hear of some of her experiences with unkind people. You can check out her blog here if you want to learn more about her: carlyfindlay.blogspot.com

Carly exited the van before I did, and I was the only other person on it. My hotel was the Hotel Lincoln, which is located right across the street from Lincoln Park and the Lincoln Park Zoo. What an awesome location! Sunday’s race looped all around the park, and the starting line was reportedly .4 miles from my hotel. Nice! 

The hotel was so cute and cool. It had very eclectic urban decor which I loved, and the staff there helped so much with all my questions and necessities. The room I had was on the small side, but the decor was very cool and the view was to die for; a window overlooking the park and Lake Michigan! Gorgeous! 

After dropping off my suitcase, I made my way to pick up my race number. The pick up location was not really near the hotel, so I opted for a cab to save some wear and tear on my legs, as I knew I wanted to walk around the park later. Once that was done, I went back to the hotel to drop off my number & tech hoodie and hit the park. I wanted to see if I could figure out where all the race action would be tomorrow morning so I’d know just where to go. 

I walked through the zoo a little bit and spied some farm animals, an outdoor water preserve, camels, llamas and a tiger cave. I stopped inside the information booth with my half marathon map to see if someone could help me pinpoint where the race started. I was heading in the right direction. I kept walking but did not see any signs of race day set up. This didn’t sit well with me. Where were the porta-potties? What about some tables for registration, water, food, etc.? I walked around much longer looking for some sign of race life, and after asking two other folks (the golf range guy and the flower show conservatory guys), I decided to give up, figuring that it would be there in the morning. It was nice to stop in to the conservatory and look at the flower show there. Here are a few shots I snapped while I warmed up from my chilly walk. Can you spy what is hiding in the green jungle?

I headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. I was meeting up with a couple of college friends for dinner. I changed and went to check out the rooftop bar at the hotel which boasted a gorgeous view of the park and lake. I sidled up to the bar for a club soda with lime before heading out to the restaurant. My friend, Chrissy, selected Dinotto’s restaurant for our dinner. A perfect choice that was within walking distance for me, full of terrific Italian dishes and a nice atmosphere. Unfortunately, by dinner time, I had heard from my friend Tim who wasn't feeling well. He wouldn't be joining us after all. But Chrissy and I had a super time catching up on all the goings-on with her and her family. It was great to see her, and I’m so glad that I reached out to her, as she and her husband and kids are moving from the Chicago area to Florida soon. It always helps to see friends before a race when in a far away place. Dinner was delicious, and Chrissy definitely filled me with some happy pre-race endorphins. We said our goodbyes, and I picked up some last minute groceries for the morning on my walk back to the hotel. I wish I’d taken a picture of us at the restaurant! I can’t believe I forgot! Thanks for a great night, Chrissy!

Race morning I woke up a few minutes before my alarm and promptly made my way to Starbucks for a big bold brew. I walked back to the hotel and made my breakfast and enjoyed it while watching one of the most incredible sunrises I’ve ever seen. It was inspirational to see that incredible vista before the race. I could tell that it was going to be a beautiful day and hopefully a great race, too.

I walked through the park, stopping to take a pre-race selfie atop a footbridge that boasted a super view of downtown Chicago. Fun! 

I meandered through the zoo area and out through their parking lot where I was grateful to see plenty of cars, runners and hubbub near the starting line area. A large line of porta-potties stood prominently before me. All my worries were put to rest. Let the race begin!

I lined up with the 1:45 pacing group and easily kept up with them for the beginning of the race. The running day weather could not have been any better. It was about 38 degrees at the start with sunshine and low wind. Perfect conditions! We took off and headed north in the park, looping along through the paths, both paved and unpaved, through tunnels and out along Lakeshore Drive. The path along the water was glorious! The sun was shining down on us, the view of the lake was sparkling and the beach was just beautiful. I made a mental note to return with Craig and the girls someday. They would love it. We looped back around the southern part of the park and then back up to the north. The park was filled with other runners, walkers, bikers, and dogs soaking up the morning sun and enjoying the day. I suppose the Chicagoans were out in full-force to enjoy the nicest day of the year so far. After the horrible winter we all experienced, I do not blame them. It was great seeing everyone enjoying themselves. 

As the race progressed, I felt myself warming up, so I removed my hat and gloves and rolled up my long sleeves a bit. I was still with the 1:45 group through mile 8 and stayed close to them through mile 9. After that I started to lose ground. I was feeling pretty depleted, and I noticed at this point that this race had fewer water stations than others I had done, and so I started to fade a bit. My legs felt heavy and sore, and at the 10 mile mark we turned in to the wind which didn’t help either. I pushed as much as I could, but I knew I had slowed considerably at this point. I swear, the last mile is always the longest!  I crossed the finish line just under 1:49 with an official time of 1:48:56. When the final results came back later that day, I came in 7th in my age group. I was very happy with that! Not bad for my first half after a winter of training mostly on the treadmill. 

It was a slow walk back to the hotel for a stretch and a shower, then I walked to the Old Town area to find some lunch. I ended up at a little pub called Woodies where I had a southwestern chicken wrap and a Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale. Yum. After that I had to get ready to head back to the airport, so it was back to the hotel to catch the van. I wish I could have stayed in the city longer to explore more, but after arriving home and telling everyone all about how great the hotel was and the area, the girls are dead set on getting to Chicago someday. It will be loads of fun when we return. The Chi-Town Half was a beautiful race in a terrific place!

New shoes, traveling news & tutus

What a lovely weekend. Yesterday I woke up early with my littlest one and hung out having coffee and a super yummy smoothie with cantaloupe, cucumber and fresh ginger before a nice warm 5 mile run in my new kicks. I always know when it is time to get a new pair, as my legs, knees and hips start to ache.  I love the feeling of the first run in new running shoes. It feels like running on clouds to me after running on depleted shoes for too long. Instant love. I have to give props to New Balance, too, as the shoes arrived on Thursday after I ordered them on Monday night. I am glad to have them and be able to run a few times in them before Chicago in one week. I just hope they are broken in enough by then. 

Yup. So the Chi-Town Half is only one week away. I'm really excited about it and the fact that it is state #14. I can't wait to run in the beautiful city of Chicago. From what I can tell, the route is all along the lake front area. I traveled to Chicago for work several years back and loved it. I was lucky enough to be able to hear legendary young adult librarian and author, Patrick Jones, speak at a symposium. What a rock star he is! I loved every minute of it and loved the city of Chicago, too. I'm delighted to be heading back there and running the city. I think it is such a fine way to experience a place. I am also thrilled to be connecting with two of my college friends on Saturday night! I will post some pictures from our mini-reunion. 
So, I'm basically feeling good physically going in to this race, although my lower back has been a little tweaky lately. I know it is just from my lousy posture in my normal day-to-day mommy role. I bend down a lot to deal with little ones, and when I'm not careful, I put undue strain on myself back there. I really need to work on posture moving forward. But overall, my running feels good, so if the weather cooperates, it should be a fantastic run in Chicago. 
I'm still not sure what I'll wear for this race, as weather this time of year is so unpredictable. I'll likely bring everything from winter warm wear to spring strip-down. We'll see on the morning of the race what wins out. Speaking of what to wear when you run, in the headlines this week, a woman was ridiculed by SELF magazine for wearing a Wonder Woman costume with tutu for a race she ran. Turns out, she wore the outfit because she was battling brain cancer and wanted to feel strong on her run. Nice job, SELF-ish! The woman not only has received a huge outpouring of support since the article was blasted, she also has received great publicity for her tutu making business, Glam Runner. I hope she makes millions and can stuff it to that magazine. What is so wrong with wearing a tutu in a race if you want to? I haven't worn any costumes to date, but if it makes you feel good and you enjoy it, why not? What ever happened to just having fun? That SELF magazine thing makes me want to wear 10 tutus all at once just to support the woman. I think I'd get too itchy wearing one for an entire half marathon, but for a 5K? Bring it on. 
Time to head back to savoring my weekend and getting organized for my trip. See you in Chicago!

Fair-weathered

It is no secret that the weather has been all the buzz here in Connecticut in recent weeks. I’m grateful to say that I was able to get outdoors (finally!) for two runs this past week. One run was on Saturday in beautiful 50 degree sunshine for a lovely 7 miler. The other run was yesterday. Temperatures were in the high 30’s when I stepped out and were well in to the 40’s when I finished. I was very much on the fence about running outdoors yesterday because of impending rain, but I took a chance and managed to finish up 11+ miles well before any rain kicked in. It was invigorating and quite perfect, despite the many puddles and mud slicks around. I was just overjoyed to breathe real air. Slightly cool, slightly breezy. Color me happy.

I’m very much a fair-weather runner. Literally. I rarely run in the rain, and after this winter, I’m shying away from cold temps from now on, too. I’ll slog through heat just to bang out miles but with likely less than optimal performance. But I’ll do it. I will get out there. Add any precipitation, and I’m less likely to brave it out. I’ll hit the gym or do some other form of exercise instead. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t love running in the rain. I’ll suck it up if I’m out there on the road at the time of a passing storm or shower, but I never choose to begin a run if it is raining. I don’t love having sloshy running shoes. I don’t love having my t-shirts stick to me. I don’t find it refreshing. Ick.

I’ve noticed, too, that my fingertips randomly go numb from time to time now, and I blame the cold weather running for that. I wear gloves when I run, and a few minutes in to a run I’m usually all warmed up, so in general running in the cold isn’t a huge problem. What I find now though, is on cold days when I’m just out and about (grocery shopping for instance), my fingertips will go numb and turn rather white. Weird. Note to self to check in with a doctor. Hopefully the spring temperatures turn in to a regular trend very soon and all of this gets left behind. 

For the minute though, I’m feeling encouraged to be back out there on the streets, taking in the scenery and fresh miles. One more long run next week before tapering for Chicago. Inspiration back in motion. 

Uninspired

I haven’t blogged in a while because I haven’t felt like I’ve had anything much to write about. Talk about an uninspiring time lately. Last week I felt like I was just going through the motions of my daily world. Cooking healthy meals, getting to the gym, bringing the kids to their various schools and activities, working, etc. So unexciting. Today I mentioned to my Weight Watchers leader how uninspired I felt all week, and of course, the scale showed it with a slight increase. :( Time to change gears, I say!

I am exactly one month away from my next half marathon. This time I’m heading to Chicago to run in the Chi-Town Half Marathon. I really am so excited about it, and starting today, I’m putting my focus on that to break me out of my doldrums. I reached out to one of my college friends who lives in the area, and I’m thrilled that we are going to be able to meet up for dinner the night before the race. I really love the fact that setting my race goals also helps me to seek out friends and family around the country with whom I can reconnect. Seeing special people brings another level of joy and happy memories to these excursions. 

The Chi-Town Half takes place right along the lakefront in the city. I am sure it will be a gorgeous run, as long as the weather cooperates, of course. Let’s hope so, because after this wicked winter, I could sure use a weather reprieve. Time to visualize warm sunny 45-50 degree temps and light wind for April 6th in the greater Chicago area. Hopefully the race directors are not jinxing it by providing long sleeve hoodies as the race shirt. No matter what the day is like, I’m sure the race will be a great one to remember. 

So, I guess I just have to grin and bear these (hopefully) last treadmill runs as the freezing temps still linger and put on my best frame of mind as I pound away. The outdoor pavement will come soon...in fact, local meteorologists are forecasting temps in the 40s this weekend, so I may be able to get that momentum back after all. I think it is great, too, that this week's topic in the ww meeting room was moving for 5 minutes out of every hour. Time to think up some creative ways to make that happen and maybe even boost my fitness while I'm at it. 

One month til Chicago...one month til Chicago...time to get inspired!